(-)hydroxycitrate ((-)hydroxycitric acid or also Garcinia acid) is the active ingredient obtained from the extract of Garcinia indica or Garcinia cambogia, trees found in south-east Asia and in particular in southern India.
These two species of plant directly contain a (-)stereoisomer of hydroxycitrate. The extract of the fruit of these two plants is widely used in traditional Indian medicine for treating various diseases.
A mixture of (-)hydroxycitrate and chromium is commercialized in the United States as a dietary product for combatting excess weight and obesity, under the name of Citrin.RTM..
Known pharmacological activities and processes for preparing (-)hydroxycitrate from fruit are already described in the literature.
This product is further commercialized by different manufacturers such as the FLUKA company.
Majeed M. et al. in "CITRIN.RTM.: a revolutionary herbal approach to weight management", New Editions Publishing, 1675 Rollins Road, Burlingame, Calif. 94010, Pages 1-69, 1994, describes a certain number of studies which show that (-)hydroxycitrate reduces body weight by reducing the synthesis of fatty material.
Many people throughout the world, for example approximately 4 million people in France, suffer from hypercholesterolemia. When the levels of circulating cholesterol exceed normal levels, due to the peroxidation of lipids, the cholesterol and cholesterol esters are capable of accumulating in the cells of arterial smooth muscles, provoking their proliferation, the accumulation of lipids on the artery wall (atheroma), which may lead to the formation of thrombus, followed by the blocking of coronary or cerebral arteries.
Existing treatments (fibrates, HMG coenzyme-A reductase inhibitors, etc.) aim to reduce levels of circulating cholesterol but play no protective role in the pathological effects of cholesterol on the artery wall, either by reducing proliferation or by inhibiting the accumulation of cholesterol in the cells of arterial smooth muscles.
Furthermore, owing to their side effects, such as hepatic or renal insufficiency, these medicaments are used only when the levels of circulating cholesterol greatly exceed physiological limits.
It would therefore be desirable to find a product endowed with the following properties:
capable of reducing the synthesis of cholesterol, PA1 capable of inhibiting the accumulation of lipids in the cells of vascular smooth muscles, PA1 capable of aiding the elimination of lipids which have accumulated in the cells of vascular smooth muscles, PA1 capable of reducing cell proliferation due to the reduction in intracellular lipids, PA1 endowed with a sufficient therapeutic margin, and PA1 devoid of side effects or toxic effects at high doses. PA1 the aliphatic alcohol is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alcohol, preferably propanol, isopropanol or ethanol, PA1 the tannin fixing agent is a Polypyrrolidone derivative, preferably Polyvinyl Polypyrrolidone, PA1 elimination of the solids is carried out by centrifugation, PA1 the anion exchanger resin is preferably a DEAE SEPHADEX A50 resin, PA1 drying of the eluate is carried out by lyophilization.